May 16, 2014

03:27 PM

Mark Greenberg Secures GOP Party Nomination in Fifth District

Mark Greenberg sailed to his party’s nomination Friday night thrusting him into a battle against Democrat Elizabeth Esty for the state’s fifth Congressional district.

Greenberg takes on a candidate in Esty, that many political observers consider the most vulnerable Democrat among the Connecticut Congressional caucus.

“We all deserve better than a broken economy and a dysfunctional government that taxes, spends and borrows too much. I believe in this great country that has given my family and me so much-- and I know with the right leadership in Congress we can get our country and our economy back on track and secure a better future,” Greenberg said. “But to accomplish the change we must change our course. We have to revese our nation’s economic course.”

Greenberg held off efforts by small business owner Sal Lilienthal to gather 15 percent of the delegates, and force a primary election.

At the Mohegan Sun Casino Resort on Friday, Republicans nominated a slate of conservatives in hopes of adding to the GOP majority in the House of Representatives. State Republicans picked Dan Debicella to take on Rep. Jim Himes, D-4; James Brown will take on Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3; Matthew Corey will take on Rep. John Larson, D-1, and Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh will take on Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2.

But by far the most compelling, albeit expected, nomination of the afternoon was Greenberg who gets his first match against Esty, though he's been angling to race against her after two other failed attempts at becoming the Republican nominee.

Esty narrowly beat Republican nominee Andrew Roraback in 2012, her thin victory coming with President Barack Obama on the top of the ticket.

Greenberg, who vowed to serve only eight years in the House said people deserve better representation than that of Esty, and vowed to do whatever necessary to unseat her.

The father of five lambasted Esty for her support of the President, his signature legislative accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act and the Democratic Party’s economic policies.

“Our children and families deserve a better future than the one Washington is building today for them- and I fear the current direction of our country will result in the loss of opportunity and the loss of the American dream for your children and mine,” he said.